An Attempt to Explain the Origin and Meaning of the Early Interlaced Ornamentation Found on the Sculptured Stones of Scotland, Ireland, and the Isle of Man

[1] Archæological and Pre-historic Annals of Scotland, pp. 221, 504, 505.

[2] The Sculptured Stones of Scotland, privately printed by the Spalding Club, and liberally presented to many antiquarian societies.

[3] The Sculptured Crosses of Ancient Ireland, by Henry O’Neill.

[4] The Runic and other Monumental Remains of the Isle of Man, by the Rev. J. G. Cumming.

[5] Annals of Clanmacnoise, quoted in notes to the Annals of the Four Masters, vol. i. p. 181.

[6] William of Malmesbury, book i. c. 20.

[7] Pre-historic Annals of Scotland, p. 76.

[8] Information from Mr. Hughes, of Chester, 1858.

[9] McIan’s Highland Clans—McNiel.

[10] Essay on Custom and Education.

[11] Thomas Dinley’s Journal of a Tour in Ireland: Proceedings of the Kilkenny Archæological Society, vol. i. p. 180, New Series.

[12]

[13]

[14] In the Saxon poem Beowulf, translated by the late Mr. Kemble, there occurs this passage:—“He went to the hall, stood on the steps, and beheld the steep roof with gold adorned.” Line 1844.

[15] See on Plate No. 6, examples of British urns, copied from Plate iii. of the Archæological Index, by J. Y. A. Kerman Esq., F.S.A.

[16] History of Ancient Pottery, vol. ii. pp. 381-384.

[17] Bede’s Ecclesiastical History, book i. chap. 12.

[18] De Bell. Gal., lib. vi.

[19] Strabo, lib. iv.

[20] Plate xxvi. Sculptured stones of Scotland.

[21] Plate No. 3.

[22] Plate No. 4.

[23] Pinkerton’s Vitæ Sanctorum Scotiæ, pp. 286-7, quoted in the preface to the Sculptured Stones of Scotland, p. 5.

[24] Ulster Journal of Archæology, vol. v. p. 81.

[25] From Patricius His Purgatory, attributed to Spottiswood Bishop of Clogher, and also to his successor Bishop Jones, quoted in the Ulster Journal of Archæology, vol. v. p. 71, and in Carleton’s tale of “The Lough Derg Pilgrim.”

[26] Though a poetical authority is of no weight in antiquarian argument, it would be wrong to omit quoting Sir Walter Scott’s account of the famous fiery cross formed of twigs.

[27] Plate No. 2.

[28] Plate No. 5. I am indebted to the Rev. George Cumming M.A. for permission to re-engrave this and plates Nos. 6 and 8 from his interesting work on the crosses of the Isle of Man; and to my nephew and assistant, Mr. W. E. Brown, for drawing all the illustrations of this brochure on stone.

[29] Plate No. 6.

[30] Plate No. 7. From The Sculptured Stones of Scotland.

[31] Plate No. 8.

[32] Vol. vii. pp. 17-19, 23, 24.